Roll Out
The Transformers franchise has had its fair share of ups and downs over the years. On the one hand you have a slew of stellar animated shows that appeal to a variety of ages, but then you’ve also got Michael Bay’s seemingly endless wave of terrible live-action sequels. While the property appears to have found new hope in the form of the upcoming Bumblebee film, it’s going to have to arrive guns blazing to top some of these iconic moments.
#5: Megatron Rewrites History
“Beast Wars: Transformers†(1996-99)
Megatron has performed some dastardly schemes in his career of being a supervillain, such as the time that he simultaneously destroyed an alien threat and removed Optimus Prime from the equation. But how crazy was that time he actually rewrote history? To change a long series of events and the outcome of the Autobot/Decepticon war to better suit his interests, Megatron takes the ultimate gamble by tracking down the body of the original Optimus Prime, and wastes no time in shooting him right in the head. This of course drastically alters the fabric of time and space, as the Maximals begin to fade from existence, leaving Megatron laughing victoriously from what just happened.
#4: Unicron Eats a Planet
“The Transformers: The Movie†(1986)
In a franchise all about giant robots smashing each other to bits, a Transformer has to do something incredibly unique to stand out from the pack. That’s just what Unicron is able to do. Already hard to miss due to his intimidatingly gargantuan size, Unicron shocked viewers everywhere when he showed off his impressive power by consuming an entire planet. The citizens of Lithone can do nothing but panic and scramble to escape before their home world is completely annihilated. In a very short amount of time, Unicron successfully shows that he means business, as it’s not everyday that someone – or some thing – chows down on an entire world. Must’ve been a filling meal though: nom, nom, nom.
#3: Optimus vs. Megatron
“Transformers†(2007)
As previously stated, Optimus and Megatron have tangled many times over the years. One of their most spectacular showdowns comes in the form of the climax in the first live-action film. The two titans square off in the middle of a city, crashing up and down streets and flying through entire buildings. We’d hate to see the repair bill based on all the collateral damage caused by these two fearsome fighters. Thankfully, in one daring move, Sam Witwicky puts an end to the conflict by shoving the AllSpark into Megatron’s chest, effectively killing him. Now that’s going to leave a mark.
#2: Dinobot’s Sacrifice
“Beast Wars: Transformers†(1996-99)
If actions speak louder than words, then the moment when Dinobot sacrificed himself in order to save a group of proto-humans is undoubtedly excellent proof of his heroic nature. When the Predacons decide to attack a group of humanity’s ancestors, Dinobot finds he’s the only thing standing between them. He’s very quickly outnumbered, but Dinobot fights on, trading every blow with one of his own and dishes back as much damage as he takes himself. Although he manages to subdue the other Predacons, Dinobot eventually proves to be no match for Megatron himself. In the end, his fellow Maximal comrades surrounded him, as they bid him farewell.
#1: One Shall Stand, One Shall Fall
“The Transformers: The Movie†(1986)
Sure, the aforementioned live-action fight between Optimus and Megatron was cool, but nothing matches the sheer epicness of their standoff in the 1986 animated movie. In an absolutely ruthless encounter, both combatants charge at one another with a ferocity and precision previously unseen. As they slam into each other, there is a sense that this battle was a long time coming, with both packing years’ worth of tension into each blow. Only heightening the experience are the snappy and memorable one-liners, as well as the catchy inclusion of Stan Bush’s “The Touch.†Capping it all off is the death of Optimus Prime, which is an unforgettably emotional moment for the franchise as a whole.
Be sure to check out the video below to see our picks for the Top 10 Greatest Autobots.
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